European Population Censuses 2000/1

By Franz Rothenbacher

In 2001, several European countries conduct the decennial
population censuses. The following article outlines some of the main
characteristics of the ongoing census taking operations. Furthermore, the
contents of the planned census and publication programmes are
described.

Why Population Censuses?

Population censuses are one of the main instruments for data
collection of nation states. They have been carried out on a regular basis in
most European countries since 150 to 250 years. Population censuses are the
only statistical form of investigation to produce an accurate picture of the
population of a country. In most national statistical systems population
censuses form the basis for many other statistical investigations like social
surveys, and are used to correct current statistics from administrative
registers, e.g. statistics on population movement. In addition, population
censuses are especially important for local and regional planning, because they
often are the only source of information for small local and regional units.

Aims and Tasks of Population Censuses

Results from population censuses present a quantitative picture
of population structure, households and families in a country. Because
results are not only processed for the whole country, but also for regional
divisions, e.g. by municipality or town district, and by detailed
classifications, the census results form the basis for numerous actions of
public administration, for economic decisions, and for scientific research. Not
least they present information for everyone for their own decision making as
well as for controlling the effectiveness of political measures. Census
figures allow a just allocation of tax money to regions and communes;
furthermore, they are important with respect to the planning of national and
local elections. On the local level, census figures are used for planning
purposes such as necessary traffic services for commuters, industrial
development and use of the soil, and they can also be used for population
projections.

Over 200 Years of Population Censuses in Europe

National population censuses have a long tradition in Europe and,
in principle, date back to the seventeenth century (census taking of course
reaches back to antiquity). During the second half of the eighteenth century,
the Nordic countries already held censuses on a regular basis. During the first
half of the nineteenth century, census taking was institutionalized in most
European countries. But is was not before the Belgian census of 1846 that the
main principles of census taking were introduced and internationally
acknowledged. These principles were: self-enumeration of the whole population
with house-hold and individual questionnaires based on scientific methods.
During the twentieth century, the population census as one of the main
statistical instruments diffused throughout Europe. The censuses were enlarged
more and more in terms of questions asked. Since the 1970s, rising problems
with response rates prompted some countries to look for alternatives in data
collection: in some countries social surveys were introduced as substitute,
while in others the already good administrative registers were improved in
order to allow for statistical exploitation. It seems likely that the
population census will keep its important position in national statistical
systems, because only some countries will be able to keep up-to-date
administrative registers (Griffin, 1999).

Population Censuses throughout the World

In the middle of the nineteenth century, the European and
American states agreed on uniform methods for population censuses. Since that
time, in all European and most developing countries population censuses have
beeb carried out regularly. Since their foundation the United Nations have
recommended national governments to hold population censuses at the end, resp.
beginning of each decade. The EU and its member states have agreed on a minumum
catalogue of questions and have determined the time period from January 1 to
May 31 2001 as the enumeration date. Thus, most countries undertake population
and housing censuses at least once every 10 years. The UN Statistical
Commission reckons that 165 countries have conducted a census in the course of
the last 10 years. These censuses have covered around 95% of the world's
population. In the years around 2000, more than 160 countries will carry out a
census (Kelly, 1998; UN/ECE, 1998; Punch, 1999).
The Nordic countries have chosen different solutions for the last population
and housing censuses held there. Denmark conducted its last formbased
census in 1970. In 1981, Denmark carried out the first census without
forms, based solely on information in public registers. Finland followed
with a pure register census in 1990. The lack of a complete residential
address register has been one of the main reasons Norway and Sweden have
not based their censuses solely on registers. Both countries have agreed
to adopt this system, and, as a result, the Norwegian census has been
postponed until 2001, while the Swedish census has been postponed until
2005. (Dates of population censuses worldwide are available from the U.S.
Bureau of the Census, Internet address http://www.census.gov/ipc/
www/cendates/; links to censuses in the world are available from the
homepage of the Czech Statistical Office, Internet address: http://
www.czso.cz/eng/census/census.htm).

Population Censuses in some European Countries

Austria

In Austria, the decennial population census will be
held on May 15, 2001. The last census was carried out on May 15, 1991. The
population census is part of the large enumeration 2001, which also includes
census of work places, buildings and housing. The population census will be
conventional insofar as every citizen will receive a questionnaire with some
basic demographic and occupational topics. The contents will be read by a
scanner and anonymized by Statistics Austria. Population census results are
published in tabular form in book series and the internet as well as in the
data base ISIS of Statistics Austria in tabular form (ÖSTAT, 2001).

Belgium: Title Change in 2001

In Belgium the title of the
census was changed. The census will no longer be called 'Recensement 2001' or
'Recensement général de la population et des logements 2001', but
'Enquête socio-économique générale 2001', or, more
simple, 'Enquête 2001'. This title change is intended to indicate that
the census no longer is merely a population census, but rather a general
socio-economic investigation. Since 1991, the mere number of inhabitants has
been extracted from the Registre national des Personnes physiques; therefore a
pure population census has become superfluous. On the other hand, the
Enquête 2001 will extensively use administrative registers and modern
information and communication technologies.

Finland

A
census of the population was taken in Finland on 31 December 2000. The census
yields important data describing the population structure, employment, families
and housing. Population Census 2000 was the third register-based population
census in Finland after 1990 and 1995. Data from approximately thirty registers
are used to produce the final census data.

Italy

On
October 25, 2001, the 14th general population and housing census (14°
Censimento generale della popolazione e censimento generale delle
abitazioni-2001) will be conducted. Population censuses have been carried out
every decade since 1861. The first housing census was organized in 1951, the
2001 census is the second one.

Luxembourg

The
decennial 'Recensement général de la population du 15
février 2001' collects information on individuals and households for
subjects such as - population structure by age, sex, nationality,
profession, activity - educational level - daily commuting -
housing conditions of households The main advantage of the census
doubtlessly is its capacity to deliver data on diverse territorial units
(communes, localities, city quarters). The Luxembourg population census is
of the conventional questionnaire-based type. Administrative registers would
supply only inaccurate information as compared to information obtained from
population censuses (age, sex, nationality, commune and place of residence,
NACE). In the realm of occupational statistics, hours worked and work place
cannot be obtained from registers. The profession is recorded in one register
only and at a very incomplete stage. Furthermore, the core register, the
central population register, is unreliable in several respects. These facts
prompted STATEC to proceed to carrying out a 'register-based' census.

Norway

A population and housing census will be conducted on
November 3, 2001, in Norway. About every 10 years since 1769, Norway has
conducted such censuses. The 2001 Population and Housing Census will be the
last census in which people have to fill out forms. One of the objectives of
the census is to improve the quality of the registers so that Statistics Norway
can subsequently extract statistics directly. Currently, the population
register contains information on persons and families, while the Ground
Property, Address and Building Register (GAB Register) contains information on
homes. Unfortunately, the GAB Register is currently not complete because it
lacks information about dwellings in apartment buildings built before 1983. To
upgrade the GAB Register, all dwellings in Norway will be assigned a unique
address.

Portugal

The Instituto Nacional de
Estatística (INE) has begun to prepare the "Census 2001": the 14th
General Census of Population and the 4th General Census of Housing (XIV
Recenseamento da Geral da População e o IV Recenseamento Geral da
Habitação). The census is conducted every 10 years and
represents the most complete, extensive and complex enumeration of the country.
The census covers all families and households, all persons resident in Portugal
and all dwellings and housing conditions of inhabitants.

Spain

The next census of population and housing (Censos de
Población y Viviendas) will be held on May 1, 2001. Census taking in
Spain has a long tradition, with the first census being held in 1768. The
demographic census is the largest statistical project which is periodically
organized in the country. The word Demographic Censuses in principle comprises
three different censuses: the population census, the housing census and the
building census (Censo de Población, Censo de Viviendas and Censo de
Edificios). Connected with the latter one, an economic census will be organized
as well: the census of work places (Censo de Locales). Out of the three
demographic censuses the population census is the most important and the one
with the longest tradition. The first modern population census, which used the
individual as basis of analysis, was realized in Spain in 1768 for the Conde de
Aranda under the reign of Carlos III. Ten years later, in 1787, the census
on Florida-blanca was organized by Godoy during the reign of Carlos IV. The
series of official censuses started in 1857 under the Comisión General
de Estadísticas del Reino, which was followed by the census of 1860.
Since that time population censuses were held in 1877, 1887 and 1897. Since
1900, a population census (Censo de Población) has been carried out
every ten years and without interruption. The population census held on May 1,
2001, will be the sixteenth official census organized in Spain (INE, 2000).

Switzerland

In Switzerland, the population and housing
census was conducted on December 5, 2000. The Population Census has been a
tradition since 1850. Having since developed into a 'structural survey' of the
country, it draws a picture of Switzerland's most important structures by
interlinking demographic, economic, social, geographic as well as cultural
aspects. In Switzerland, the population census serves as a basis for numerous
other statistics. The 2000 census covers individuals, households and
economically active persons in a person and household investigation;
furthermore, information on residential buildings and housing units is
collected in the buildings and housing census. The Swiss Federal Statistical
Office (SFSO) intends to modernize the population and housing census towards a
register census, but until 2000 the Swiss registers were not in a state that
would allow for a pure register exploitation. Therefore the 2000 census was
carried out in the form of a 'register-based' census, including some
information (preprinted on the census questionnaires) from the population
register. Most of the other information had to be collected in the conventional
way. The Swiss Statistical Office intends to improve the different
administrative statistics in the coming years to such a degree that a register
census will become possible in the future.

United Kingdom

The UK census will be held on April 29, 2001. Since 1801, every 10 years
(with the exception of 1941) a count of all people and housholds in the UK was
made. The UK census is the most complete source of information of the country.
In addition, it is the only survey which provides a detailed picture of the
entire population, and it is unique in that it covers everyone at the same time
and asks the same questions everywhere, making it easy to compare different
parts of the country (ONS, 1999a, 1999b).